Class XIII. Order I. 211 



pale green, smooth, their stalks winged where they join the 

 main petiole. Flowers yellow, in a remote umbel, proceeding 

 from the axils of the leaves. The calyx, petals, and stamens 

 are extremely deciduous, which occasions perplexity in exam- 

 ining the plant. Every part of this vegetable abounds with a 

 bright yellow, or saffron coloured juice. May, June. Peren- 

 nial. 



213. ACT^EA. 



ACT2EA RUBRA. Willd. && Act<EU. 



Raceme hemispherical ; petals shorter than the sta- 

 mens, acute ; pedicels of the fruit smaller than the pe- 

 duncles. 



Syn. ACTAEA SPICATA. MX. 



J1CTAEA BRACHTPETALA. De Caild. 



JlcTAEA AMERICANA, $, RUBRA. Pursh. 



Stem roundish, glabrous, covered with a slight glaucous bloom. 

 Leaves several times ternate, on long smooth petioles, with 

 swelling bases partly sheathing the stem. The extreme divis- 

 ions are slightly pubescent, and channelled above. Leafets heart 

 shaped, cut and toothed, the odd one usually three lobed, veined, 

 glabrous, the veins slightly pubescent underneath. Raceme 

 hemispherical or half ovate. Peduncles round, smooth, slightly 

 pubescent at top. Pedicels pubescent, largest at the extremities. 

 Calyx leaves four, oblong, green, striate, concave, caducous. 

 Petals often eight or ten, white, oval, acute, unguiculated, de- 

 ciduous. Stamens numerous. Filaments twice as long as the 

 petals, filiform, subclavate, white. Anthers, before bursting, 

 cordate, acute, compressed, white. Pistil smooth, white. Germ 

 oval, placed obliquely, with a furrow on one side. Style none. 

 Stigma oval, two lobed, recurved at the ends. Berries shining, 

 cherry red, about sixteen seeded, on long filiform pedicels, a 

 fourth part as large as the common peduncle. Woods. May. 

 Perennial. 



*ACTJEA ALBA. WltitC JlctrtCt. 



A. racemo oblongo ; petalis staminibus eequalibus, 

 truncalis ; pedicellis fructils pedunculi instar. 



